1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical devices and, in particular, to medical hubs and other devices having transparent sections for observing fluid flowing therethrough.
2. Description of the Related Art
The administration of liquid medications and nutrients to patients via intravenous administration is a well-established medical practice. Typically, the nutrient or medication solution is delivered into the patient's bloodstream directly from an intravenous fluid line. Intravenous fluid lines generally consist of a flexible plastic tubing that connects via a hub directly with the source of the intravenous fluid. The fluid source is commonly an elevated intravenous fluid storage container that can be of flexible wall plastic construction, for example. In such a typical system, the flow of intravenous fluid to the patient is gravity driven. However, the intravenous fluid may also be pumped into the patient.
Catheters are also commonly used to deliver therapeutic and diagnostic fluids to selected locations within a patient's body. For example, it is common during the use of stents to use catheters to apply fluid-based drugs to the site of the dilated lesion to prevent or reduce chances of restenosis and to aid in the healing of flaps, dissection or other hemorrhagic conditions that may appear after an angioplasty procedure. Numerous other examples of the use of catheters to deliver fluids intravenously will also be known to those skilled in the art.
Quality control is a necessary and vital component of the administration of intravenous fluids. The health care provider typically monitors the quality of the intravenous fluid administration by visually examining the fluid in the intravenous fluid container and/or the fluid in the intravenous tubings and catheters as the fluid enters the patient's body. By monitoring the course of the infusion, the medical care provider can sometimes detect problems with the quality of the intravenous fluid or the process of administering the fluid. For example, the visual monitoring of the intravenous fluid reservoir or the tubing can sometimes provide an indication of the clarity of the fluid, the presence of contaminants, precipitation, and so forth.
However, in many cases, it is difficult to provide adequate quality control by visual monitoring because the fluid container and/or the catheter or tubing are opaque, or because the quality problems are too small to notice with the naked eye. Thus, there is a need in the industry for a device that would enhance the visual monitoring of fluids being administered intravenously.